Further Cuts to Raunds Bus Service Possible

The Town Council clerk recently provided a report based on a meeting held between Northamptonshire County Council (NCC), District Councillors, East Northamptonshire Council (ENC) and Town Councillors regarding local Bus Services

The Clerk explained that the purpose of the meeting was to work with NCC to ensure that the best possible use was made of S106 money associated with local bus services and that a sustainable bus service was maintained.

Latest figures indicate growing use of the Sunday service but not to a level where it will be commercially sustainable. Use of the evening service is low except on a Saturday.

New jobs/usage could be expected in Summer Autumn from next stages of Rushden Lakes development including Cinema.

It was agreed that advertising was needed.

Raunds Town Council will produce promotional material including: • posters that could be displayed in the Club and Duke of Wellington in Stanwick promoting the last back to Raunds. • flyers advertising the complete bus service including the X46/X47 and 45 service.

NCC has aspiration for considering mail drop survey about possible bus usages in Raunds in spring

S106 funding for the Sunday and evening service runs out in August/Sept which will be about the 2 years originally planned.

NCC have discussed with the S106 officer and have in principle decided to run the Sunday and Bank Holiday service for another year (approx £15k) – NCC meeting with Stage Coach to look at options to make this work.

Another year would take us beyond NCC and into new Unitary policies and whilst the cinema is open.

It doesn’t look possible to be able to save the full evening service other than late night on Saturday between Raunds and Stanwick, unless alternative funding can be found.

Road works at Chowns Mill round about and the Railway Bridge will potentially impact on services to Stanwick and Raunds.